Serbian may join British ranks

By Mark Hodgkinson

12:01AM BST 17 May 2006

The Serbian teenager Novak Djokovic - the youngest player in the top 100 and one of the rising stars of men's tennis - could become a future British Davis Cup player after it emerged last night that his family have contacted the Lawn Tennis Association about the possibility of moving from the Balkans to live in Britain.

A spokesman for the LTA confirmed to The Daily Telegraph last night that Djokovic's mother, Dijana, has approached the LTA.

She has had "initial discussions" with Stuart Smith, the LTA president, and Roger Draper, the LTA chief executive, with the talks apparently taking place during last month's Davis Cup tie in Glasgow, where the 18-year-old won both his singles rubbers as he led Serbia and Montenegro to a 3-2 defeat of the British team.

It is understood that Djokovic, the world No 71 and Andy Murray's best friend on the tour, has been suggesting privately that he might receive better support and sponsorship playing for Britain. His mother has also told the LTA that if the family emigrated to Britain it would allow Novak's younger tennis-playing brothers, Marko and Djordje, the chance to use the facilities in Britain.

It is believed that the Djokovic family have no British ancestry, and they would have to qualify for their passport and the chance to play in the Davis Cup team through the residency rules. Sources indicated that Djokovic's decision may have been influenced by the strong possibility that Serbia will soon split from Montenegro.

The LTA attracted criticism in 1995 when Greg Rusedski arrived from Canada. He qualified as a British player through his mother, who was born in Yorkshire.